Locomotives traditionally include a car body that houses one or more power units of the locomotive. The weight of the car body is supported at either end by trucks that transfer the weight to opposing rails. The trucks typically include cast steel frames that provide a mounting for traction motors, axles, and wheel sets. Locomotives can be equipped with trucks having two, three, or four axles. An example of a four-axle locomotive truck is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,743 that issued to Roush et al. on Dec. 4, 1984.
Each truck frame of a typical locomotive is connected to its corresponding axle by coil springs that act directly on a journal box of each wheel. The journal box transmits vertical loads through the springs to the wheels and provides a housing for axle bearings. Pedestals are attached to the truck frame and hold the truck frame in place relative to the journal box while permitting some vertical movement of the truck frame. The pedestals transfer tractive and transverse loads to the wheels via the journal box. In some applications, an equalizer extends between the journal boxes of different wheels to equalize loads from the truck frame on the wheels. Rounded surfaces at ends of the equalizer typically rest on top of a wear plate attached to the journal box.
Conventional truck frames generally extend a significant distance past the associated axles to accommodate the pedestals described above. Such truck frames are also often multi-level and have interrupted geometry that avoids interference with various components and/or provides force transfer paths between the components. These numerous transitions and interrupted geometry can result in increased structural stress and reduce a durability of the truck frame.
The frame of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art.